Who do I need to see for advisement if I am an English, Mass Communication, Journalism, or Speech Pathology major?

You can visit the English and Communications Department in room 2217 and/or call 305-237-2284, to make an appointment to see an advisor.

Is there a BA in (English, Mass Communications, Journalism or Speech) available at MDC?

Unfortunately at this time a BA is not available.

Can I get an override for a class that is full?

Although there are other departments in the college that allow overrides, the English and Communications Department has a very strict policy on overrides. In order to make sure that all students get the best from their respective class, including interaction with the teacher and fellow classmates, we must enforce our override policy.

All classes in our department have a maximum number of students that can be accommodated without disrupting the class environment. Classes like ENC 1101, ENC 1102, LIT 2480 and SPC 1017 require a lot of writing and/or speeches in front of the class. In turn, the kind of testing offered in these classes (papers written by the students) requires reading and grading of each paper or speech that the student prepares.

I want to take my class with Prof. John Doe because I hear he is very easy. Can I get in his class?

You are free to take classes with any professor available in our department as long as the class has available seats. All of our faculty members are fully credentialed to teach their respective courses. If the class is full, refer to our override policy.

I registered for a class and didn’t pay in time, or my financial aid was not processed in time, and my class was dropped. Now the class is full. Can I get an override?

We know this is very common. If there is another class that fits your schedule, either in the full term or the mini-term, we will definitely help you get into that one. If you have a copy of your original schedule, you may ask the professor for an override card that will reinstate you into the class.

The class I registered for was cancelled. What do I have to do now?

If your class is cancelled by our department, we will contact you and provide you with the available options. If for any reason you do not hear from us, please call us at 305-237-2284.

I’m registered for a course in your department. Can you tell me the name of the books?

The department recommends that you attend the first day of classes to confirm which book(s) your respective professor will be using. Keep in mind that if you buy the book(s) for a class and for any reason you need to change the class, or the class is cancelled, you may end up with books that you may not be able to use for another class or even return to the bookstore.

I need to talk to my professor. Do I need an appointment?

We recommend that you make the necessary arrangements to meet with your professor during their office hours. Faculty members are available to provide you with support or to answer your questions during the “office hours” stated in their schedules, and posted outside their respective offices.

My work schedule changed and conflicts with my class, what are my options?

If your work schedule changes before the beginning of classes, you will probably not have much difficulty finding a class replacement. However, when it happens during the semester, it is a different situation. Our first recommendation is to contact your professor immediately, to check if there is any arrangement you can make to fulfill your class requirements (e.g., attending the same class, with the same professor, but at a different time or day). If this is not feasible, then you will need to see the chairperson as soon as possible.

The final grade I got must be wrong because I thought I was getting a different one. What do I do now?

Clerical or data entry errors do happen. If you believe that your final grade is incorrect, you must first contact your professor as soon as possible for confirmation or correction. Then, if a change needs to be made, we will process a “Change of Grade Form.” It will take approximately 3 or 4 weeks for your grade to be changed.

I got an Incomplete grade (I). What do I have to do now?

The college catalog reads as follows: “When a student is unable to complete the requirements of a course by the end of the semester, the student may be given an ‘Incomplete’ or ‘I’ grade. The incomplete grade is given by the instructor, if the student has valid reasons for not being able to finish the work. The student and instructor complete an ‘Agreement for Grade of Incomplete form,’ which stipulates the work to be completed for a grade. The student and professor must sign this form. Students have until the end of the next major term to finish the coursework or a failing grade for the course may be assigned.” Major terms are fall and spring.

Note: The College’s registration system automatically issues a grade of “F” if the coursework is not completed by the end of the next major term after the grade of “I” was issued.

Can you please tell me my final grade over the phone?

As a college policy, student information, including grades, is forbidden to be disseminated over the phone. You can check your final grades through your student portal.

I am having conflicts with my professor. What can I do about it?

You should always talk with your professor first and try to resolve the matter at hand. If the matter cannot be resolved this way, then you can opt to take the matter to the department chair or to the dean of student services.

What kind of support and/or tutoring services do you offer?

Our department can offer you with tutoring and support services for English and Speech courses in the Writing Center, College Prep Writing and Reading Labs, and the Speech Lab.